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United States Patent | 6,135,904 |
Guthrie | October 24, 2000 |
A damper that functions in cooperation with the chain take-up to introduce improved smoothness during bicycle operation. The hydraulic damper is a cylinder that has a spring driven piston mounted in it. The spring is controlled by a fluid within the cylinder. This fluid smoothes out or otherwise controls jerky or other unwanted vibration by applying fluid forces to the take-up piston so that a relatively constant pressure is applied against the drive chain. This allows that chain to flow over the sprockets and chain slides without, looseness, unintentional gear shifts or objectionable noise.
Inventors: | Guthrie; Ryan G. (1841 Otter St., Anchorage, AK 99504) |
Appl. No.: | 181368 |
Filed: | October 28, 1998 |
Current U.S. Class: | 474/82 |
Intern'l Class: | F16H 007/08 |
Field of Search: | 474/78,79,80,81,82,101,116,117,118,124,138 |
3896679 | Jul., 1975 | Huret et al. | 474/82. |
4430978 | Feb., 1984 | Huret | 474/82. |
4552546 | Nov., 1985 | Ishikawa | 474/82. |
4850940 | Jul., 1989 | Nagano | 474/80. |
4960402 | Oct., 1990 | Klein et al. | 474/80. |
5397275 | Mar., 1995 | McJunkin, Jr. | 474/147. |
5669840 | Sep., 1997 | Liao | 474/80. |